As we move into a week of celebrating Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and see discussion of how much King was disliked in his time, I am thinking about Dr. King and his crusade for collective economic justice.
I focus my personal economic justice work these days by working with two locally based financial institutions: a) a credit union with a CDFI (community development financial institution) designation that is dedicated to positively shifting historically marginalized and poor white communities to becoming thriving communities with financial stability and b) a local, publicly traded bank that is taking on undoing the harm and extraction of the financial industry.
I am also thinking about the recent conversation on economic justice that happened right here in Massachusetts on January 11th: Movin’ On Up: Black and Brown Economic Mobility in 2020 and Beyond. Organizer Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley intentionally hosted this summit, which addressed topics near and dear to me and spoke to much of my own work, in the predominantly and historically urban Black community of Roxbury (read more here). I know that this event is one of the top historic events I will witness in my lifetime. This was the first time the Congressional Black Caucus was in Massachusetts because this was also the first time we have even had representation! Let me share my reflections with you to try to capture the extraordinary impact this event had on me.
The day started in the historic Dudley Cafe meeting fellow leaders and activists who were all huddled in anticipation. Joining Congresswoman Pressley in her home state were her sister colleagues: Congresswomen Gwen Moore, Jahana Hayes, Barbara Lee, Ilhan Omar, and Bonnie Watson Coleman. The energy in the room was incredibly alive! It was so powerful to have the Congressional Black Caucus there and to see that they were all women! I may have known that we now have more gender representation in the caucus, but to be in the midst of these women and hear about their leadership and work was immensely moving. With my colleague Tuti Scott of Changemaker Strategies, I have done my own capacity-building work with a coalition of organizations working on women’s political representation. And as a graduate of LIPPI (Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact), gender parity in political leadership has always been important to me. As Coretta Scott King says…
“Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.”
Seeing these women was the best medicine and affirmation. Hearing their perspectives and advice gave me such hope and motivation. They discussed their challenges, wins, and goals for working within the systems and structures that govern our country. They used the same language of equity, inclusion, and liberation that I use in my own work to inspire and validate the experiences of 300+ attendees, 99% of whom were Black and Brown. Listening to these Congresswomen speak about how they take their analysis and activism right with them into their respective committees proves to me that we are ready for the new American Dream of liberation and equity—a truly great American scene of parity in a representative and reflective nation! I do honestly believe we can get there.
Here’s what else I noticed... These women leaders are fierce and poised, and they mentor others with their every move. I was reminded that we all must do our part at whatever level we can each personally engage. We cannot rest and assume that we have arrived or that these women will (or can) carry the load without our active civic engagement. Together, we have to keep all of us moving forward because the undertow is strong. We have to find the courage to keep moving forward, accepting that no one knows what that final view looks like. Still, my view last Saturday of those women standing in their power and wisdom was an amazing beacon of hope. It is a moment I will never forget.
On the topic of Black business, entrepreneur Según Idowu, one of the summit’s panelists, said, “We should not confuse motion with progress.” I couldn’t agree more. Our future is here, but we have to steer the ship. What I know for sure after being in a room of so many fellow Black and Brown leaders and entrepreneurs, is that I am proud to work with clients who are thinking about all of these same issues and creating programs to impact Black and Brown communities. I’m hugely proud to be supporting that work! I’m proud as well that, among other young women, my own daughters could witness the courage, grace, brilliance, and resilience of these Congresswomen who believe in a brighter future.
So many things the Congresswomen said resonated with me and so many other people in the room. “We have to change the narrative…” Congresswoman Omar said, reminding us that what we have been taught are our deficits as POC (aka people of the global majority!) are indeed our assets. Congresswoman Hayes, for example, wrote a new, positive narrative on the story we hear so often about young mothers: yes, she was a teen mom, and now she is a recipient of the national teacher award and a congresswoman championing the lives of Black and Brown students and fiercely advocating for equitable education. Like Congresswoman Hayes, I was a young mother. As Congresswoman Omar said, these women’s stories reflected and affirmed so many of our own.
Other topics of discussion included the oppression and exclusion that is happening in the cannabis industry despite social equity policies that are in place and how to name, reverse, and counter oppressive and exclusive measures like, as Congresswoman Omar shared, the “shackles of student loans.” Most importantly, these leaders spoke about our economic footprint, influence, and potential. In Massachusetts, for example, we can reverse the disparity between the median net worth of Black households and White households ($8 versus $247,000, respectively) by only purchasing from Black-owned businesses, following our investments, and working collectively. I learned that Black consumers are responsible for some $1.2 trillion in purchases annually. And according to a Federal Reserve study, 20,000 Black-owned businesses comprise $1 billion in the Massachusetts economy.
When it comes to work around money, giving, and investing, many of you saw a recent article in Forbes about my experience co-leading a group of 100 women through a conversation in Austin about “making money moves that matter” for social impact with a gender equity and racial equity lens. We got to work rooted in shared values and goals. We worked to engage the leaders in gender lens investing with social impact warriors who are taking on the finance and wealth management industry. We focused on helping women take one more step deeper into their work. By all accounts, it was a heartfelt, inspiring, purpose-driven event. We found generative healing by sharing our money stories and economic journeys and naming our personal “why” for doing the work we do.
With all of my projects, each time the work becomes more and more clear… what is required and how it can be accomplished. As I continue to reflect this week on the Congressional Black Caucus, just barely into this New Year, two Rumi quotes found me on my path:
“Why should I be unhappy? Every parcel of my being is in full bloom.”
“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”
Indeed, the way is before me. It was just officially announced this week that my nonprofit, BRIDGE, was nominated for the Paul and Joyce Aicher Leadership in Democracy Award. It is an honor to be recognized in the legacy and vision of Paul Aicher. This award means that BRIDGE will receive communications support sharing out news of the “ripples of change” I so often write about in my newsletter. And just emerging now, I received word that another award is coming to BRIDGE in 2020 for a momentous occasion! For me, this affirms that I know what work is required. Now, we all just have to buckle down and do it.
A dear friend and colleague sent me this MLK quote:
“May I stress the need for courageous, intelligent, and dedicated leadership... Leaders of sound integrity. Leaders not in love with publicity, but in love with justice. Leaders not in love with money, but in love with humanity. Leaders who can subject their particular egos to the greatness of the cause.”
This is exactly what I saw at “Movin’ On Up: Black and Brown Economic Mobility in 2020 and Beyond!” This is our aspiration at BRIDGE, and this is my personal aspiration as a leader.
Persist. Speak the truth. Lead authentically. Be our best self, collectively and individually. Do our “wake work,” as author Christina Sharpe writes. I want to share another gem of advice from Congresswoman Pressley: “Be comfortable with making people uncomfortable,” she said. “We know when we are unapologetic… many people are made uncomfortable.” Pressley embodies this courage and commitment in her own life, for example, when she just recently shared her own experience with alopecia with the world.
I can only hope that this Movin’ On Up Congressional Black Caucus tour fuels these women to step even more deeply into their personal and professional power. I know that their constituents are even more strongly behind them after seeing them work and live into the integrity of their campaign promises.
Cornel West says, “Justice is what love looks like in public.” So let’s continue the fight for justice. And, as we celebrate MLK day, I leave you with these words from Dr. King:
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.”
© 2020 Gwendolyn VanSant